Chapter 10
Again, Alex found herself at the page with the sketch of her mother's interpretation of Monet's The Seine at Argenteuil. She looked at the sketch and then again at the painting. For the hundredth time that day, she slammed the book shut. Mom, what are you trying to tell me?
Moving to the bed, she laid down with the intention of just closing her eyes for a moment, but exhaustion took over and in minutes she was asleep.
Hours later she awoke to the sound of her door being unlocked. She expected it to be Charlie or James. It was surreal having a brother she never knew existed. Did her father know he existed? Did her mother? Was her father the womanizer that Williamson made him out to be?
Dread overtook her when Sam Collins entered the room. He shut the door and locked it from the inside. Alex jumped out of the bed and franticly scanned the room for a suitable weapon.
Sam sneered, "Good Morning, Princess." He moved toward her and Alex found herself taking several steps backwards. "Boss wants to know if you are ready for the trip?"
The young woman took another step back, and froze when she realized she was backed up against the bed. "I'm ready." She attempted to side step him, but a strong arm
prevented her from moving. "Please, let's not keep Mr. Williamson waiting."
He moved his face closer to hers. There was no denying he was handsome, but there was something sinister about him. She looked towards the door, hoping Luke, Charlie, or James would arrive and rescue her. His face was now mere inches from hers. He whispered, "What's the matter, Princess? Don't you like bad boys?"
Bad boys, she thought ruefully. The previous summer she dated what her father called a 'bad boy', however, while Dean Adams wore a leather jacket and drove a motorcycle, he was tame compared to the menacing figure in front of her. Sam smirked when Alex did not answer, "Maybe you like me because, I'm bad."
Turning her face away she asked, "What makes you think I like you?" She had enough. Placing both hands on the man's chest, she used all of her strength to push him away from her. She hated men that thought they knew her.
Incensed, Sam roughly grabbed her, "Not so fast, Darling." He then roughly planted his lips on hers in a brutal kiss. His arms were wrapped tightly around her and Alex felt horror when she realized she could get away. She squirmed in his arms, trying to escape. He seemed to enjoy the struggle.
Desperate, she brought her knee up hard in between his legs. "Ouch," he yelled vehemently. His grip loosened and Alex was able to pull herself out of the forcible embrace.
Running to the door, she was screaming for help. Her hands managed to unlock the door,
but she was not able to get the door open.
"You little Bitch!" Collins grabbed her sadistically and flung her around to face him. His hand whacked her hard across the face. The slap stunned her, and the metallic taste of blood filled her mouth. Pulling her by the hair, he tossed her violently onto the bed. He smiled once again and was ready to lunge himself on her.
Suddenly, the door opened and Luke stood there flanked by Charlie and James. Rage filled Luke as he surveyed the scene. Luke covered the floor quickly. Charlie was afraid he and James were going to blow their cover, but Luke was ever the professional. "What the hell do you think you are doing, Collins?" His fists gripped the front of Sam's jacket.
When the other man did not answer, Luke yelled, "Don't you think the Boss would like Ms. Jones not to be traumatized? He needs her to do a job, you son of a bitch!" He pushed Sam towards the door. "You!" he pointed to Charlie. "Take this scum out of here! I don't want him near Miss Jones again!"
Alex gingerly got off the bed and once the door was shut and Sam Collins was away from her, she began to shake. Her breaths were coming in great gulps. Luke reached out and gently pulled her into his muscular arms and while it was certainly not the appropriate time to think about romance, Alex could not help feeling like she belonged there.
He softly rubbed her back as she cried, and after a few minutes, her breathing returned to normal. She moved away, and looked up at him, "Thank you." She looked over at James, her newly found brother and added, "Thank you both."
James reached out and touched her arm, "Are you okay?" He felt protective of her. After all, she was his little sister.
She nodded, "I think so. Thanks to my Three Musketeers." Her hand wiped away her tears and she picked up the diary. "Is it time to go?"
"Anytime now." Luke answered. "Please tell me you have something to give Williamson."
James added, "If we don't stall him, then he can decide that the four pawns he has collected are no longer useful."
Alex was no longer listening. She was staring at the Monet painting again. She then quickly opened up the diary and glanced at the picture. When she looked up again she was smiling. "I can't believe I was so blind."
Both men looked at her, worried she had lost her mind. She smiled and pointed, "Don't you see?"
"See what, Alex?" Luke asked, worried she had cracked.
"The colors, the brush strokes, the canvas itself." She was losing patience that they could not see it. Finally she added, "it's a fake!" She climbed onto a desk, "Help me take it down." James obliged and in a minute, the painting was off the wall, and laying face down.
The back of the painting looked odd, and it took James and Luke a minute to realize it was because it had a false back. With a letter opener, Alex pried the false back away and smiled as she saw the treasure that had been hidden for 16 years. She scooped up her loot and quickly scanned the contents. The first was a piece of paper with coordinates. The second was a hand drawn map, and the rest were sealed letters. All addressed to Indiana Jones in the same feminine handwriting.
Sorry it is so short. Please read and review. I hope to update again in the next day or two.